The use of optical fibers for light transmission has become increasingly popular especially in the area of data, telephone and other types of ccmmunication networks. Opto-electronics is now seen as a suitable companion with many traditional electronic communication systems.
One type of fiber optic cable called "loose tube" cable comprises one or more optical fibers encased in an outer jacket. Loosely positioned stranded strenghtening members are typically positioned between the fibers and the jacket. The inner diameter of the outer jacket is several times larger than the diameter of the fibers, thus the fiber are arranged in a loose fit configuration. The fibers are free to move about in the jacket and can even move longitudinally within the jacket. This arrangement allows the cable to be flexed, bent or pulled without transmitting the forces directly to the fibers. While this arrangement adequately protects the fibers, it presents a problem in terminating the fiber for interconnection.
Typically, in terminating an optical cable, the outer jacket is stripped away exposing an extending length of fiber. This extending portion is inserted into a fiber optic termination device. As the fiber is loosely held in the jacket, there is a tendency upon insertion, for the fiber to back into the jacket thereby making termination difficult. Also when employing a cable having a plurality of fibers, it is difficult to manually separate the fibers for individual insertion into particular sections of the termination device.
It is desirous to provide an optical cable retaining device which would prevent the fibers from backing into the cable upon termination. Further it is desirous to provide a device which will separate fibers in a plural fiber optic cable.